Sep 16, 2024
Training Tips by Runzy Director of Coaching Joe McConkey
Fast Running Over Rolling Hills
Have a hilly marathon coming up but still want to run a respectable time? You know what to do. Smartly increase your volume, get your hill repeats in, run some fast intervals, hit your target pace with your last long tempo run. Is that everything? Not quite...
There are of course many other variables and many other types of workouts that round out a well-designed program. When preparing for a marathon with hills, however, there is one specific workout that is often non-existent in marathon programs and yet is perhaps most beneficial. Speed intervals over rolling hills.
By taking your repeat 800s, 1Ks, miles, or 5Ks out on the roads on a course that has regular undulations (two to four 20-40 second up and downhills per mile at a varying 5-10% incline/decline), you are throwing strength, speed, and athleticism into your legs all in one workout. This changing terrain means the angles of your legs at landing and push-off are also always changing, thus initiating adaptation to occur when the muscles are at various lengths and tensions (e.g. when your foot strikes the ground when running up a hill your calves are in a lengthened/stretched position, and when running down a hill they are in shortened position).
If done carefully and gradually, training in this type of environment can result in an increase in power and speed of which allows you to stay completely aerobic at your goal pace, despite the explosive power needed on the uphill, and despite the eccentric load occurring on the downhill.
